Generally we (Zambians) are too kind! Sven urges his players to be more nasty on the pitc

Sven Vandenbroeck has barely been in Zambia for less than six months and the Belgian has already noticed one thing associated with being ‘proudly Zambian’.

Frenchman Herve Renard, the man who led the Chipolopolo Boys to the African Cup Nations triumph cited that Zambians are too nice as he compared to West Africans.

On Friday morning at Football House, Vandenbroeck made a passionate call that Zambians should stop being too kind, not in bad way but good way.

The Belgian trainer has called his players to show the guts, grit, aggressive and more importantly ‘more nasty behaviour on

“Sometimes I feel that, and it is in general here in the country, that we are too kind for each other. If something goes wrong, we have to have the guts to tell each other that you are wrong. You made this mistake and we have to accept,” the frank talking coach said.

“We are also too kind in making fouls when we have difficult moments. I am not saying we have to kick someone, but break the rhythm in the game to overcome the difficult moment.

The Belgian trainer has called on his players to show guts, grit, aggressive and more importantly ‘more nasty behaviour on the pitch.’

“I would like to see some more nasty behaviour on the pitch without being violent or injuring the opponent.”

Vandenbroeck went further to state that he has doubts in the mental strength of his players even though he is confident in the skills and how his team plays.

“It is an easy task in our mind because we know the direction, we know what we have to do, it will be a difficult task on the pitch. Not because I am not confident, I am confident in the skills and how we play, my doubt is a little in the mental strength to play an away game, to overcome difficult moments during a game.”

Zambia is away in Mozambique in a match day five Cameroon 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier next weekend in Maputo.

Despite Group K being dubbed a ‘Cosafa Group’, the Southern African rivals are struggling with 4 points.

Leaders Guinea Bissau and Namibia are on 7 points.

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Sven is right. That’s why we are missing Donashano Malama and Brian Mwila.
All these players in current team are like tu Kampenga, they are even kind to the ball, they don’t like shooting it as if it feels pain. When did we last see a yellow card?
And too much prayers on pitch, and gospel songs while kicking penalties. Sven is so observant kaaa I like.

Sven is confusing being soft in nature and being kind! Zambians are some of the most evil, jealous and selfish people I have ever come across! They are Pull Him or Her Down (PhD) holders! Unlike Nigerians, Zambians are not good to each other! Even in the diaspora it is easier to get help from a Nigerian than from a Zambian! It really touches me whenever am out there! Its time Sven Renard got it correct!

I think you got him wrong. He is not talking about being good to each other as Zambians he is talking about how we treat foreigners…or opponents on the pitch. We are too good. We give too much respect to our opponents. We may be evil as you put it against each other esp in the dispora I have heard stuff like that but here we are talking about being aggressive on the pitch even in businessetc. We are too apologetic. May be coz we misrepresent or misinterpret so called Christianity that God will do all for us. We need to fight and do all we can to get a result esp on the pitch. From the first whistle to the last one.

I single out nathan sinkala he is a gangling midfielder. He is hard on the ball. Up front the boys are using skill and pace. This is because of their small body frame. In west africa their number one weapon is the use of their body. Thats why they play physical game. Southern african team struggle because they have no huge player.. Look at england they rely on skill and pace. This had rendered them perrenial under achievers.

VAR will equip referees to penalize fouls and simulation better than before. The future would then be more skillful (read Brazilian) football as opposed to German/European(and North African) style of play.
I think Sven is too defensive or too quick to make defensive substitutions and God only knows how much this has cost us.
No one will ever be as big and tough as the West Africans.